[On the 8th Zí-l hijja, 1067 A.H. (8th September 1657), the Emperor Sháh Jahán was seized with illness at Dehlí. His illness lasted for a long time, and every day he grew weaker, so that he was unable to attend to the business of the State. Irregularities of all sorts occurred in the administration, and great disturbances arose in the wide territories of Hindústán. The unworthy and frivolous Dárá Shukoh considered himself heir-apparent, and notwithstanding his want of ability for the kingly office, he endeavoured with the scissors of greediness to cut the robes of the Imperial dignity into a shape suited for his unworthy person.* With this over-weening ambition constantly in his mind, and in pursuit of his vain design, he never left the seat of government. When the Emperor fell ill and was unable to attend to business, Dárá Shukoh took the opportunity of seizing the reins of power, and interfered with everything. He closed the roads against the spread of news, and seized letters addressed to individuals. He forbade the officers of government to write or send any intelligence to the provinces, and upon the mere suspicion of their having done so, he seized and imprisoned them. The royal princes, the great nobles, and all the men who were scattered through the provinces and territories of this great empire, many even of the officials and servants who were employed at the capital, had no expectation that the Emperor would live much longer. So great disorders arose in the affairs of the State. Disaffected and rebellious men raised their heads in mutiny and strife on every side. Turbulent raiyats refused to pay their revenue. The seed of rebellion was sown in all directions, and by degrees the evil reached to such a height that in Gujarát Murád Bakhsh took his seat upon the throne, had the khutba read and coins struck in his name, and assumed the title of King. Shujá' took the same course in Bengal, led an army against Patna, and from thence advanced to Benares.]
[Dárá Shukoh in his later days did not restrain himself to the free-thinking and heretical notions which he had adopted under the name of tasawwuf (Sufiism), but showed an inclination for the religion and institutions of the Hindús. He was constantly in the society of Bráhmans, Jogís and Sannyásís, and he used to regard these worthless teachers of delusions as learned and true masters of wisdom. He considered their books which they call Bed as being the Word of God, and revealed from heaven, and he called them ancient and excellent books. He was under such delusion about this Bed, that he collected Bráhmans and Sannyásís from all parts of the country, and paying them great respect and attention, he employed them in translating the Bed. He spent all his time in this unholy work, and devoted all his attention to the contents of these wretched books. Instead of the sacred name of God, he adopted the Hindú name Prabhu (lord), which the Hindús consider holy, and he had this name engraved in Hindí letters upon rings of diamond, ruby, emerald, etc. * * Through these perverted opinions he had given up the prayers, fasting and other obligations imposed by the law. * * It became manifest that if Dárá Shukoh obtained the throne and established his power, the foundations of the faith would be in danger and the precepts of Islám would be changed for the rant of infidelity and Judaism.]
[After the conquest of Zafarábád and Kalyán, and the return of Aurangzeb from Bíjápúr, where he had failed in obtaining full success, through the opposition and malevolence of Dárá Shukoh, he left 'Umdatu-s Saltanatu-l Káhira Mu'azzam Khán, with a part of the Imperial army, in the vicinity of Bíjápúr, to realize a sum of a hundred lacs of rupees as tribute from 'Ádil Khán, by the promise of which the retreat of Aurangzeb had been obtained. The intrigues of Dárá Shukoh, who did his best to defeat this arrangement, and the mischievous disturbing letters which he sent to 'Ádil Khán and his nobles, brought this desirable settlement to nought. His Majesty Sháh Jahán, who at that time took no very active part in the affairs of government, was influenced by the urgent representations of that weak-minded (Dárá Shukoh), and summoned Mu'azzam Khán to court. In obedience to this order, the Khán marched with the force under his command to Aurangábád, intending to proceed from thence to the capital. This movement at such a time seemed injurious to the State, and encouraging to the turbulence of the Dakhinís. Mu'azzam Khán had no sinister object in proceeding to the capital; but Aurangzeb, as a matter of prudence and of State policy, made him prisoner and detained him in the Dakhin. When Dárá Shukoh obtained information of this arrest, his malignity and jealousy led him to persuade the Emperor that it was all a trick and conspiracy between the Khán and Aurangzeb. By this he so worked upon the feelings and fears of the Emperor that he roused his suspicions against Muhammad Amín Khán, son of Mu'azzam Khán, who then held the office of Mir Bakhshí at Court, and obtained permission to secure his person. Accordingly Dárá Shukoh summoned Muhammad Amín to his house and made him prisoner. After he had been in confinement three or four days, intelligence of the true state of the case and of the innocence of Muhammad Amín reached the Emperor, and he, being satisfied of the facts, released Muhammad Amín from durance.]
[On the night of the 12th Rajab (in the eighth year of his reign), the Emperor was suddenly attacked with strangury, and suffered great pain until the following morning. * * The skill and attention of his physicians had their effect, * * and in a few days he recovered.]